Snowman Shoot Out

We had a ton of fun doing this Christmas time activity with our boys. We called it the Snowman Shoot Out. It was one of the things on our Paper Chain Advent Calendar for December this year. Nerf target shooting, BB guns, and archery were all on the program.

The Targets

The targets were all drawn freehand. One of the benefits of snowman targets is that they’re really easy to draw. This picture shows all the different targets we used for the events.

The boxes were spray painted white first then snowmen were drawn on them. They were used for the Nerf guns and for the BB guns afterward. Here they are outside after being shot up with the BB guns. They didn’t get too many hits because they were only worth one point and we were aiming higher (more on the scoring later).

The floppy snowmen were drawn on half size sheets of card stock, little notches cut out of the bottom fold so they stand up but also flop backward when hit with the darts. They are taped to the table for the dart gun shooting. When we took them outside for the BB gun shoot they were taped to a box and to a metal bucket, respectively.

Outside they needed the extra support of a log behind them because it was a bit breezy and raining so they wouldn’t stand up. In this photo you can see how the notch is cut out of the bottom fold to make a stand.

There was also a target drawn with a double bulls eye on this snowman. We used him only for the archery portion of our competition. He is taped to a box which we weighted down with rocks. The arrows went right through it and out the other side. A hay bale behind it would have been better, but we didn’t have one.

The final target was drawn on card stock and taped to an RC car. We used it only for the Nerf gun portion.

Nerf Target Shooting Competition

First of all we divided into two teams. Our family has eight so they were teams of four, little people and big people mixed evenly. For the Nerf gun competition each person got six shots.

The closer stationary targets on the table were worth one point each. The moving target, the snowman on the RC car, driven by an opposing team member, was worth ten points.

I thought no one would even hit the snowman on the RC car. I had not accounted for the hours and hours of target practice my children have invested. They racked up the points.

BB Gun Competition

Then we took it outside for the BB gun competition. There were five targets, two small snowmen clear across the yard and three larger snowmen only halfway across the yard. The closer snowmen were worth one point and the two distant guys were worth ten.

The kids have also worked hard at their BB marksmanship. They accumulated the points here too. We gave them each four shots.

Archery Competition

This portion was by far the most challenging. We moved our snowman target much closer for this one. We each had three shots.

But even so we didn’t do so hot. The shots you see below were by our six year old. He was beat only by our seventeen year old. Poor Mom didn’t hit even the box. Points were awarded as you see on the snowman.

The Score

This was a super high scoring competition. We kept track with tally marks on our chalkboard. As you see, Harrison’s team won. Their prize was choice of dinner for tonight. They chose waffles. Well played, boys, well played.

More From Layers of Learning

Indoor snowball fight and how to make pompoms

Visit the Christmas section of our Holidayopedia

How to do snow painting.

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Author: Layers of Learning

We are two sisters and homeschool moms who created a family-style, hands-on and engaging curriculum for history, geography, science, and the arts. We sell fantastic unit studies that will transform your homeschool.